A Very Weasley Christmas
by kayleighjo312
Summary: The whole Weasley family is gathered to celebrate Christmas. Molly Weasley has outdone herself once again. As the family sit down to dinner something extraordinary happens. Is there something sinister about the sprouts?
1. A Very Weasley Christmas

**Written as a secret Santa gift for Karen, whose wishes were a physical de-age fic including next-gen characters.**

**A note to Karen- Merry Christmas. I have never written or read a de-age fic before (I even had to a few people what it was) so I hope this is OK. Have Wonderful Xmas, Kayleigh x**

It was a white christmas in the village and The Burrow had been blanketed in snow. Frosted Mistletoe bushes lined the crooked path and two plump Christmas trees; decorated with pine cones, berries and firefly's, sat at each side of the front door. Inside it was warm. There were colorful streamers and glowing everlasting candles that floated around the room. Garlands of holly and pine cones covered every available surface. In the center of the living room was another glorious looking Christmas tree which had a stunned gnome, sprayed gold sitting on the top of it. Mrs Weasley had outdone herself once again.

The guests had arrived and dinner preparations were now well under way. Molly was very quickly becoming stressed; not with the food itself but with the women fussing around it. 'No, no dear, just a little bit, like this, see.' She said stopping Angelina mid-baste.

Hermione and Ginny were the only women sat with their husbands at the dining table, both knowing not to get to get in the way of Mrs Weasley when she was busy. 'I'm starving' Ron groaned, not so loud that his mother would hear. Even though he was an adult, he was still terrified of her.

Most of the Weasley grandchildren were gathered in the lounge. Dominique sat playing with wizarding chess with Roxanne. Albus, Rose, Molly and Hugo sat discussing the presents they had received. 'I got a Cleansweep 2100' said Albus excitedly to his envious cousins. 'Will you let me have a go?' Hugo asked quietly. 'Mum won't let me have a broom yet, she thinks they're too dangerous' he sighed. James pulled Fred to one side, hoping not to be interrupted, or heard.

'Do you have it' James asked his cousin.

Freds eyes twinkled with mischief as he pulled a small vial out of his pocket.

'Did you doubt me?' Fred looked up at his older cousin 'So, what's the plan?'

'I thought we could prank Jenkins with it when we go back.'

'Haha, sounds good' Fred replied handing over the small bottle.

'What's that?' Albus asked inquisitively.

'Ahh it's just something to make the sprouts taste better.' Fred lied easily.

'Can I share? I hate sprouts' Albus begged.

'Sorry, little dude. There is only a couple of drops in here' Fred apologised.

Albus sighed with defeat.

Harry called everyone into the dining area. As they all walked through Albus lagged behind, still upset. A glint of something caught his eye, it was nestled in his brother's cloak. It was the potion, James had forgotten it. The vial was full, he knew they had lied. 'Yes' Albus whispered excitedly to himself. He quickly pocketed it before rushing to the kitchen.

His aunt was straining the sprouts, 'I think nan wants you Aunty Angelina.' Angelina rolled her eyes; what had she done now, she thought. She ruffled Albus's hair as she walked past. With shaking hands he opened the small vial and quickly poured its contents over the offending vegetable. Why should Fred and James get to keep it to themselves? Albus quickly stashed the bottle away as Angelina came walking back into the room.

'False alarm' she said

'Sorry'

'No worries, you'd better go and sit down. Dinner is almost done.'

'OK'

The table had been magically extended to seat the entire Weasley. Once the food was on the table and everyone had been seated, Molly Weasley stood at the head of the table looking around at her family, 'I'm not going to make a speech, don't worry' she said looking to just to her children with a huge grin on her aging face 'I just wanted to say thank you for coming to you all, family is everything to me and I am honoured to share this day with you all.' Her voice broke and tears welled up in her wrinkled eyes as she sat down. Arthur stood to carve the turkey and the food began to be passed around. The conversations were noisy amongst the massive family.

'Harry, dear. Could you pass me the sprouts?' Molly shouted above the furore, her arm outstretched.

Albus looked down into his lap guiltily.

Celestina Warbeck's greatest hits began to play on the old wooden wireless, Molly turned it up with her wand as she nibbled on a sprout.

'We used to dance to this when we were eighteen, do you remember Arthur.'

'Yes, when we were young and carefree.' He replied, again into her eyes. They had both aged but he still thought her the most beautiful woman alive. They both became lost in the memories from days gone by. All of a sudden Molly's eyes began streaming and she began to cough uncontrollably.

'Are you OK dear?' He asked worriedly, his eyes watering as he fought back a tickle in his throat

'I'm going for some air' she choked as she staggered outside gasping. Arthur followed her, concerned and soon the coughing overcame him too.

'Do you think someone should check on them?' Hermione asked to the seemingly unconcerned room.

'Nah they're barely coughing now' Ron replied shovelling yet more food into his mouth.

'I'll go' Ginny said huffing. She walked outside and yelped at the sight that greeted her. Her parents stood up against the wall, their hands all over each other.

'Oh well that's just disgusting' she cried. But something was wrong. 'Hermione, I think we have a problem' she added a little more worriedly.

Ginny heard more coughing and ran back to the dining room. 'What's going on?' She cried. First Roxanne then Harry, George, Lily. Finally most of the room was choking for breath. James, Fred and Albus watched in horror as their family started to transform before them. It was a sickening sight. Wrinkles smoothed, bodies shrank, hair darted inwards or grew uncontrollably. The adults resembled teenagers whilst the children were shrinking, becoming newborns again, drowned by clothes years too big. Hermione rushed to help them, followed quickly by Ginny, Bill and Angelina. Victoire and Audrey sat stock still, completely dumbstruck.

Ginny cradled her daughter who looked at her inquisitively. The shock of red hair and her big beautiful brown eyes brought back memories. Holding her closely Ginny took a deep breath, she loved that newborn smell. Just for a moment she would enjoy this.

At the table James turned to Albus, seething 'What have you done?'

'That's exactly what I'd like to know' Ginny said from behind them; Baby Lily still in her arms, swathed in her now too big dress.

'I, erm, i .. I put something in the sprouts, to make them taste better'

'What exactly?' She said furiously.

'I don't know, they just told me it made sprouts taste better'

'Who are they?' she said glaring at her other son now

Albus looked down into his lap, his face burning up.

'Someone at school.' He lied

'Who Albus?' Ginny was the double of her mother when she was angry.

'I know what it is' Angelina exclaimed. 'It's mine. Albus must have got it from Fred. I'll kill him.' She looked around for her son but he had sneakily ducked out of the room with James in tow. 'Its an anti aging potion' she continued.

Hermione gasped 'But they're illegal. If the ministry found out about this you would be heavily fined or worse. Where did you get it from?'

Ginny jumped in before Angelina could reply,

'Why do you have it? No offence but I never had you down as the vain type'

Angelina sighed. 'Its not what you think. George made it for me to fulfil my dreams, it was sweet but I never intended to use it.'

Ginny raised an eyebrow 'Fulfil your dreams' she questioned.

'When I was younger I dreamed of playing for Puddlemere United, but after the war I was lost, I drifted. Then finally I settled down and had a family and commitments. But the dream was always there. They're holding tryouts in January for a chaser, but there is an age limit; thirty-five. He just wanted to give me the chance.'

Both Ginny and Hermione were touched.

'Do you have an antidote?' Hermione asked

'No, it is supposed to wear off after a few hours but that depends on how much you take. George tested it a few times but I haven't.'

'So what do we do? Just sit and wait.' Hermione did not like this idea, 'Does the potion change their mental state as well as their physical?' She asked almost nervously, voicing her fears.

'Yes, I think so.' Angelina replied.

'If they have reverted back to being teenagers mentally, we are going to come as a bit of a shock to them. Should we explain what has happened?' Ginny said.

'Yes, I think we should.' Hermione replied.

The conversation was interrupted by a loud crash followed by a high-pitched scream. Great Aunt Muriel's vase had come crashing down and smashed on the floor. Teddy let go of the table he was supporting himself on and fell on his bottom, which caused him to cry even more relentlessly.

Bill walked over and scooped up the crying toddler in his arms rocking him back and forth softly, in an attempt to calm him. He pointed his wand at the broken pottery 'reparo' he said. The broken pieces flew together and slotted into each other like a jigsaw, it then flew back up to the table.

'You shouldn't have done that, Mum hates that vase' Ginny laughed. But Bill did not reply, his attention was focused elsewhere. Out of the corner of his eye he had seen Fleur batting her eyelashes at Charlie. 'Can you hold Teddy a minute, Gin?' He asked as the passed the child over, 'I just need to see' Ginny did not hear the rest of his sentence as he stalked off to the other side of the room

'Nice to meet you, I'm Charlie.' Charlie said with his sexîest lopsided grin.

'Enchantee, je m'appelle Fleur' she offered him her hand. Gently he brushed his lips against her satin soft skin.

'Fleur, that's a pretty name' he said. Charlie was flirting with her. She giggled in reply as she inched slightly closer to him. Anger boiled up deep inside Bill.

'Woah, woah, no this is not happening.' He threw himself between them.

'Excuse moi' Fleur sneered at him

'Bill?" Charlie stared at him confused 'is that you man?'

'Yeah, you've had an anti aging potion' Bill snapped, he couldn't help be angry with his brother for what he had just witnessed, even if Charlie didn't know any better.

'Man, Bill what happened to you?' Charlie asked worriedly, staring at his brothers scars.

'Dont worry about my ugly mug now bro, but you can't flirt with her, he said pointing to his teenage wife. 'She's my wife'.

Indignantly Fleur snorted in contempt. 'J'ai ne pas' Fleur exclaimed 'I most certainly am not' her french accent heavy. Ginny sat laughing at the bickering until Hermione pulled her back to reality.

'We had better go and find Ron and Harry' Hermione said to Ginny. They found them in the lounge, Albus was with them. Harry had a bemused look on his face as a skinny boy of fourteen looked back at him, his bright green eyes puzzled under his untidy black hair. Albus looked just like his father. Harry examined the boys face more closely. The boy did not have the trademark scar that identified him. Who was this? What was going on? Harry thought, he wanted to question this person but he was rendered speechless. Hermione and Ginny started to approach them to explain but Albus beat them too it.

'Wow, Dad?' Albus gazed at him in awe.

'What?' Harry spluttered in shock, 'erm, no no, I er don't think so no, sorry kid.'

Albus felt slightly hurt that his father did not know him, even if it wasn't his fault. Albus felt a warm hand on his shoulder , it was his aunt Hermione's. 'He's only fourteen, he doesn't know you yet.' She said with a smile. Harry's expression turned from shocked to horrified as he gazed at Hermione and then Ginny. Nervously he spanned the room as if waiting for something to attack. Ron was at his shoulder, he too was dumbstruck. 'Wow 'ermione' He gasped, his adolescent mouth full of sweets 'you er, you look er'

'I look thirty-seven, Ronald' she replied her tone clipped.

'Yeah, exactly'

'That's because I am, you nitwit'. The witches tried to talk to their adolescent husbands but Hermione quickly grew tired of fourteen year old Ron and stomped away.

Later in the evening Ginny found her friend in Ginny's old bedroom, baby Hugo cradled in her arms. 'I miss this sometimes' she said to her sister-in-law, Ginny smiled back at her,'Me too'. The red haired witch's expression then turned to one of worry. 'Have you seen the boys around? I haven't seen them for hours. I'm starting to become a bit worried' she exclaimed biting on her a lip. Hermione wrestled on hand free from beneath baby Hugo and lightly grasped her friend on elbow in a gesture of reassurance, 'We'll find them she said'. They both set off around the house to find them. Ginny searched around upstairs, which was decorated much nicer these days. She checked her parents bedroom but after walking in on another disturbing scene involving her teenage parents, she promptly walked straight back out again.

Ginny found Fred sat alone in his fathers old room. The room was exactly the same as it had been when they were children. Molly couldn't bring herself to change it as she had the other rooms. There were still the same old familiar posters and moving photographs dotted about the room. An old wooden trunk sat in the corner of the room, revealing a rusty old cauldron, a battered old broomstick, moth eaten black robes and tattered old spellbooks. Rolls of age worn parchment littered half of the heavy old desk. Three long forgotten boxes of 'Weasley Wizard Wheezes' merchandise sat on the other half of it. Ginny perched on the bed next to her nephew. It was still painful for her to being this room, even now after so much time had passed. 'I'm sorry I ruined Christmas' Fred Jr said sadly as he looked up at hèr. Ginny sighed. 'You haven't, I promise.' She smiled 'This is the kind of prank George and Fred would have pulled when we were younger.' Ginny glanced around the room, smiling 'He would have found this hilarious. I miss my brother so much but today hes here with me in spirit, because of you.' They both smiled at each other 'and I can't thank you enough for that.' She added genuinely.

'Thanks aunt Ginny' Fred replied weakly.

'I can't promise that your mum won't be angry or my mum for that matter' they both laughed. 'Come on' she said as she led him downstairs.

Hermione, Angelina and Bill conjured cots as if out of thin air and the others helped put the babies to sleep. After creating makeshift beds out of sofa cushions everyone settled down for the night. Fred desperately hoped things would be back to normal the next morning.

But it was not. The next couple of days were hectic, as the adults flew round tending to the needs of the babies and teenagers alike. Fred and James, who were put on Teddy duty, were exhausted after chasing the lively toddler round the house time and time again. Finally at the end of the third day, the potion began to wear off and by the next morning everyone had returned to normal. After Albus, James and Fred had been scolded by their furious grandmother, the Weasley family finally sat down and enjoyed their Christmas dinner. On December the twenty-ninth.


	2. A Very Weasley Christmas II

**A Very Weasley Christmas**

"Wake up Harry!...Presents," Ron shouted, shaking Harry's shoulder.

When he saw Harry's eyes flicker open, his attention turned back to his own pile of presents. It took Harry a few minutes to come around before he fumbled about on the nightstand for his glasses. He looked over his haul, even though Harry had been receiving Christmas presents for the past five years, he never really could believe it was real.

The room was deadly quite except for the sound of ripping paper as the boys tore into their pile.

"Maroon again!" Ron said under his breath, though still loud enough for Harry to hear. He suppressed a smile as he examined his own Weasley Christmas jumper. It was royal blue with tiny golden snitches dotted all over it. .

"Yours is alright," Ron said with a hint of envy.

Harry smiled widely, "Merry Christmas," he said as he chucked Ron his present.

"Thanks mate." Ron flushed.

Ron fumbled about under his bed before throwing Harry a rather dusty and badly wrapped rectangular parcel.

Harry looked over his lot, the usual Christmas jumper and few dozen mince pies from Mrs Weasley, an eagle feather quill from Hermione, a book, oddly, from Ron, titled "_Greatest Seekers of the Twentieth Century_," ("thanks," he beamed), a large box of Honeydukes chocolates from Lupin, a Swiss army style tool from Hagrid and best of all, a small bottle of firewhiskey from Sirius with a note attached, "I should be the one to give you your first shot. Don't drink it all at once."

Ron gawped at Harry with his half slightly open when he saw Sirius gift.

"No!…..No way!….I've always wanted to try it." Ron stuttered before looking at Harry thoughtfully. "Can I?"

"Yeah, but we'll save it till later…Er..I'll just hide it for now." Harry said,.

Footsteps weee bounding towards them. Harry slid the bottle underneath and sat on it in what he hoped was a natural looking position.

Ginny stormed into Ron's bedroom like a hurricane of fury.

"Wh-wha' y'doin'?" Ron said still chewing a mince pie.

"You're disgusting. Mum says you both need to get up- breakfast will be done in ten minutes." She glared at Harry. It sometimes scared him how much she reminded him of Mrs Weasley.

"What are you up to?" She said as he tried to avoid her penetrating stare.

"N-nothing," he stuttered.

She continued to stare at him. The only part of her that moved were her eyes as they grew narrower and narrower. She huffed and turned on her heels.

"Whatever," she said before adding in a very Mrs Weasley like tone, "Hurry up!"

"Is it well-hidden?" He whispered when he was sure Ginny was out of earshot.

"Erm…..I think I'll just put it in my trunk…..just in case."

"Yeah, good idea."

Harry stashed the bottle in the sock he wore yesterday, which he hid deep within his trunk.

Ginny had been in charge of decorating the burrow and as such, the whole house was bedecked in pink tinsel inhabited by real fairies that shone silver. Ron threatened to vomit when he first saw it but now he just let out a sigh or inaudible murmur. Harry actually thought that Ginny had done a good job, it was a bit pink and a bit girly but it did feel very festive. Harry's favourite part was the Christmas tree, it was huge, at least 8ft tall and fat. It gave off a heavenly aroma whenever someone brushed past it. Hundreds of silver baubles hung from its branches and a bright glowing star sat on the top.

"Merry Christmas. Are we all hungry." Molly Weasley grinned red-faced from cooking. "Ginny pass out the plates. Fred, George, the cutlery please."

They moaned but did as they were told. Harry took the only empty seat at the already overcrowded table, unfortunately it was next to Percy, Bill, who sat on Harrys right was lost in an argument as he debated England's chances in their next Quidditch match against Australia with his brother, Charlie.

"Merry Christmas, Harry," Percy said holding out his hand for Harry to shake. Harry grasped it awkwardly.

"Yeah, you too." He said , trying to ignore the twins snickering behind him.

Mrs Weasley had cooked up a feast of Bacon, Sausage, Scrambled Eggs, Mushrooms and Toast. Harry didn't quite know how he was going to fit in a Christmas dinner in just a few hours. Harry ate through a second and half of a third helping, on Mrs Weasley's insistence.

Plates empty, the various Weasley's drifted off to do their own thing as Mrs Weasley and a reluctant Ginny prepared the next feast of the day.

Ron raced off up the stairs ahead of Harry. There was a lot of banging as the passed the twins room but he was used to that now. Ron was already stuffing his mouthful of chocolates when Harry entered the room. Harry didn't know how he could do it, after all of that food, He felt sluggish and lethargic.

Harry settled on the camp-bed that had been set up for him in Ron's room. He picked out the book off Ron, lay back and thumbed through the pages.

Ron sat on his bed lining up his old chessmen on the new chessboard his brother, Bill, had given him. He looked lovingly at it, turning and moving it so he could see it at different angles.

Harry turned to chapter six, "_Seekers of Hogwarts._" He read the first line over and over as his eyes grew heavy and his breathing slowed. The book fell from his hands to his chest with a tiny thud and his glasses were pushed askew across his face as his head lolled to the side. He dreamed of Christmas, Ron and talking bacon.

Harry heard a terrible bang. Were they under attack? His eyes flew open and he jumped his feet, disorientated.

Harry pushed his glasses up his face and the room slowly came into focus. Ron picking up a lamp he had obviously just knocked over.

"Sorry….I tripped…..didn't meant to…" He muttered.

"S'okay." Harry said, a slight hint of annoyance lingered in his voice. "How long was I asleep?"

"Couple of hours, maybe longer. I don't really know." Ron shrugged.

Harry placed his head in his hands and rubbed his eyes. Through a crack between his fingers Harry saw Ron perched on the edge of his bed, a wide grin on his face. He looked as though he wanted to say something.

Harry looked up at him and he just continued to stare..

"What?" Harry said a little impatiently.

The grin on Ron's face grew, somehow, even wider. "Can you believe it."

"Believe what?"

Ron nodded his head toward Harry's trunk. "What Sirius sent you." He was bouncing very slightly on his bed.

"Oh," he hadn't even thought of it after hiding it away. "I know it's a bit strange. I was thinking, maybe it's a practical joke and it's really filled with water or something. 'Cause wouldn't he get in trouble for giving alcohol to a minor."

"I think he's got bigger things to worry about than being charged with giving alcohol to a minor mate. And, well…. No offence mate….but he's always been a but reckless, Sirius, ain't he?"

Harry couldn't help but murmur his agreement. Ron turned to look out of the window as Harry tidied up the mess he had made around the bed. He felt Ron's stare burning on his back for a few minutes before he turned to look at him.

"When are you gonna try it?" Ron said eagerly.

"Oh..erm I don't know…after dinner maybe."

Ron's face fell. "Not before?"

"You should really eat before you drink. Shouldn't you?" Harry shrugged his shoulders

Ron laughed, "Nah, it's not as good then."

Harry considered it and thought, what would Sirius do. He would've had it this morning.

"Okay," Harry nodded, much to Ron's delight. "But one of us should just check around, see what everyone is up to. Make sure that no one is going to come bursting in here again."

Ron nodded.

"You could just casually go downstairs and ask how long dinner will be." Harry hinted

"Oh, so I'm going," Ron groaned and Harry replied with a smile.

It took a while for Ron to return. Harry, meanwhile, had taken the bottle of Firewhiskey from his trunk and placed it on the bedside table between his and Ron's bed, but he quickly snatched at it with his seekers skill and hid it underneath the bedcovers as he heard footsteps coming closer.

The door burst open and Ron fell through.

"Dinner will be done in an hour," he said crossing the room and leaping on his bed. With the eyes of a hawk Ron watched as Harry retrieved the bottle and once again gave it pride of place.

"Are you really gonna have some?"

"Yeah," Harry nodded. "Are you?"

"Yeah….if I can," his head moving like a nodding dog. "Have you opened it yet?"

Harry shook his head but picked up the bottle and twisted the metal lid, the seal was hard to break but it gave with a crack. He leaned it to smell it. It was very overpowering. Harry winced as soon as it hit his nostrils, instinctively he leaned away from it.

"What's it smell like?"

"Petrol." Harry said truthfully.

"Pet- what's that."

Harry handed over the bottle for him to smell.

"Eurgh! that's vile." Ron winced. "So, who's going first then?"

"You can," Harry offered, not out of kindness.

The bottle hovered over Ron's lips for a few moments before he plucked up the courage to take a large gulp. Coughing and spluttering he passed the bottle to Harry.

Harry didn't take as large a gulp as Ron but he too coughed as he downed it. The liquid burned in his mouth and down his throat. It ached in his shoulders, it felt like the fire was gushing through his body. The pain died as quickly as it started leaving Harry feeling a slight glow inside him. He looked over at Ron who was bright red but grinning with delight.

"It's good ennit." He said

Harry nodded, grinning too. "Do you want a bit more?" He said holding the bottle out to Ron. Ron snatched it out of Harry's hands with glee. Harry drank with a little more courage. It did not burn as much this time but he still felt it coursing through his body. Harry hid the bottle away and they chatted animatedly, both feeling a slight buzz.

Harry noticed Ron was talking a little loudly, especially when he mentioned having another sip. Harry was eager but dinner would be ready soon and he didn't think it was a good idea to show up drunk.

"Food sobers you up. You'll be fine when you tuck into your Turkey, trust me."

Harry gulped from the bottle and passed it over to Ron as the door flew open.

"Aye aye, what's this then?" Fred stood in the doorway with a wide, knowing smile. "George, get up here." He called out into the hallway as Ron protested.

"No, no… Don't," he stuttered before letting out a deep sigh as footsteps came running towards them.

"'Ello, 'ello, 'Ello." George grinned, "What's going on."

"Sirius gave it to him for Christmas," Ron said looking over at Harry.

George looked over at Harry, his eyebrows raised. "Well, I say we can do this the easy way."

"Or the hard way," finished Fred.

"What d'you mean?" Ron said indignantly.

"Either you share," George said waggling his finger.

"Or we tell." Fred added darkly.

"You wouldn't." Ron spat.

"Oh we would." The twins spoke together.

"So what's it to be little brother?" Fred asked.

"Well, it's not mine….. It's Harry's." Ron said weakly.

The twins turned on Harry and gave identical sly smiles.

"Of course you can share," Harry grinned as Ron held out the bottle.

"Mom told us to get you, so we'd better go down." Fred said when he caught his breath and the fire had subsided.

Harry felt giddy as he stood up and it felt as if all of the blood in his body was rushing to his head as he tried to move his legs. Harry clung on to the unstable handrail as he went down the stairs. With a final deep breath he pasted on a smile before entering the dining room, just trying to act as normal as possible. He tripped slightly as he took his seat but it went unnoticed. He turned to Ron next to him.

"You okay," he murmured. Ron nodded, with a false smile that barely concealed his clenched teeth. He was bright red and his stare was fixed on a potted plant on the windowsill.

"Act normal," Harry said under his breath.

Thankfully, Mrs Weasley and Ginny soon entered the dining, massive trays laden with food zooming behind them.

"Merry Christmas everyone." Mrs Weasley beamed as she took her seat. Harry's head was spinning, he wanted nothing more than to take a deep breath but forced himself to keep his breathing controlled. Various bangs emitting from the wizard crackers roused him slightly. Ginny offered to pull her cracker with him, he smiled and did so but not with any effort.

"Would you do me the honour, Mother?" Percy said pompously as he offered his cracker across the table.

Molly went to reach for it with a smile but Fred leaned across and grabbed the end.

"Allow me." Fred said cheerfully.

"We tampered with that one," George whispered quietly to Harry.

Percy looked confused but went along with it.

Percy smiled as he won the bigger half but his eyes grew fearful as he noticed a neon pink spark darting towards him from Fred's half. The spark danced about and exploded millimetres from his nose. As he was about to open his mouth to speak, the fading firework awoke again, exploding into a miniature display of hundreds of colours. With one final bang it burst into bright blue letters spelling out, "HAHA!" And a glittering red tongue sticking out at Percy.

Everyone around the table watched in awe, even Mrs Weasley was unusually cheerful and complimentary.

"Did you two do that?" Bill asked. The twins nodded, proudly.

"I'm impressed," he said.

"Impressed," Percy spat, the shock subsiding. "I'm disgusted. I could have been seriously hurt."

"No you couldn't, Perce." Fred said. "We would never seriously hurt you."

"Injure you slightly maybe." George grinned. "But never seriously hurt you."

Percy looked affronted by the laughing around the table and so for the entire meal, he stared down, darkly, at his plate, occasionally muttering things under his breath.

Ron had said that food would sober him but Harry couldn't help thinking that he was wrong. Just the sight of his Turkey turned his stomach and acid bile rose in his throat as he tried to force down a sprout. Harry felt Mr Weasley's stare on him a few times but Harry ignored him and focused on his food. He played about with it and took the smallest nibbles of food he could, hoping not to rouse any more suspicion.

Ron didn't look too good. He had gone from bright red to deathly white. He stared down dopily, focusing on spearing a sprout with his fork, but he kept missing. The sprout rolled around the plate and Ron stabbed at it with more force. The sprout flew from his plate, across the table and into Mr Weasley's glass of mead, landing with a great splash.

Arthur eyes narrowed as he looked up at his son. Harry flushed and quickly looked back down at the table.

Harry managed to force down half of his dinner but could manage no more despite Mrs Weasley's pleas. His head was spinning faster, banging. The bile burned at the back of his throat as his mouth filled with saliva. He tried to swallow down the urge to vomit.

With a wave of her wand Mrs Weasley cleared the table, and with another, four fat Christmas puddings appeared on the table. Harry helped himself to two bowls and served him and Ron a healthy portion. Mr Weasley was still looking at him but Harry avoided his gaze. Harry poured on custard and handed a bowl to Ron with a nudge.

Ron was bent over and swaying slightly in his chair, he looked asleep. Harry nudged him again but he didn't respond. Desperate, Harry punched him in the leg but that only caused Ron to lean forward even more and fall face first into his pudding, and even that didn't rouse him.

"What have you two been drinking?" Mr Weasley said quietly across the table.

Harry opened his mouth to speak but as he did he could not fight the urge, his hand flew to his mouth. Mr Weasley conjured up a handkerchief and passed it to Harry.

"You two bed now. We'll talk about this later!" He commanded.

Harry didn't know how he had dragged both himself and Ron up the stairs, he couldn't focus and his legs felt like a dead weight. He was out of breath when he reached the top. He let go of Ron and stumbled to his bed. Unable to get up Ron crawled across the room and curled up in a ball on the floor. Harry noticed to bowls had been conjured. Thank you, he thought. He reached out for it and clutched it close to him as the room span ever faster until it finally faded to black.


End file.
